quikboy said:
"Great! Just in time for the Summer Olympics! They should do this in Houston too!..." [read]
Mackenzie said:
"Larry:
I recall the Gondola tour guide saying they have boats going up and down the river treating it in-place.
The Gondola tour guid..." [read]
MGB said:
"Keep dreaming. The power from sound is much-much smaller (several orders of magnitude) than is needed for any normal electronic device, especially..." [read]
Bonnie said:
"I really like egreenplace.com for baby furniture.
They offer some of the best green products which go through a lot of scrutiny and testin..." [read]
VanDammer said:
"GM's Malibu has been rolled out to rental car & corporate fleets across the country. Take fleet sales out of the equation and you'll see the true..." [read]
Richard said:
"Is this serious?
Looks like people have just a little bit too much time on their hands. I also expect that a lot of equipment and processe..." [read]
Cards can be a beautiful way to commemorate everything from a birthday to a book deal, but they're as transient as gifts come; unless its hand-painted, a card rarely sees more than a month on display before it hits the trash. These Bloom and Grow cards from UncommonGoods are designed with this short lifetime in mind, and in true cradle-to-cradle spirit, feed the earth once they're discarded. Seeds are embedded in each card, and with a little patience and water, will bloom into healthy flowers after the card is buried. While building an entire garden from these cards might only be possible for the super-popular, they're perfect for anyone who will actually take the time to make the seeds sprout. I only wish there was an option to send local seeds- perhaps you could choose varsities based on the recipient's climate region.
Disclaimer: I was employed by UncommonGoods in 2006...
Check out recycled rings jewellery range, gorgeous and original, totally planet friendly and without the internal conflict that comes with wearing diamonds and other mined gemstones. Other conflict free jewellery includes the GreenKarat and Liana Kabels designs. We love this anti-diamond ring, the envy ring and the best friend ring, each ring is reconstructed from found jewelry and hand sewn/embroidered and embellished. ::recycled rings ::via modish and CRAFTzine. ...
Finally after all these years I might get a picture up on Cute Overload. I mean, who could resist those baleful eyes staring at you, making you ask "how much is that discarded Japanese kitchenware (spoons, kettles, cups etc) recycled into that doggie in the window?" ...
We spied Sugar the Treats Truck, which we've covered before, next to the Barnes & Noble on 23rd and 6th.
The Red Hook, Brooklyn-based mobile retail bakery runs on compressed natural gas (CNG), which produces less exhaust and carbon emissions than diesel and gasoline do. While actual emissions will vary with engine design, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that compared with gasoline, CNG offers potential reductions in carbon-monoxide emissions of 90 to 97 percent, as well as reductions in carbon-dioxide emissions by 25 percent. ...
We will most likely see larger than previously expected increases in sea levels over the next century according to a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, Boulder. They anticipate that the global warming-induced melting of mountain glaciers and ice caps will account for the brunt of that rise, as much as 2-3 times more than the amount originally predicted.
The scientists used satellite monitoring to determine the contribution of all land-based ice (except for Greenland and Antarctica's huge ice sheets) to rising sea levels and found that the volume of ice melting into the sea each year from ice caps and glaciers was 100 cubic miles (or 417 cubic km). They determined, however, that this volume had now increased by a further 3 cubic miles each year, prompted by an acceleration in the rate at which the ice caps and glaciers are melting....
Here's one diet plan even you assiduous fad followers have probably never heard about: the "Paleolithic" diet. As the name implies, this diet essentially consists of foods that were regularly consumed by our Stone Age forbears and includes such staples as root vegetables, lean meat, nuts and eggs. Perhaps not surprisingly, given its simplicity and variety, this diet was found to yield significant health benefits in a recent study conducted in Sweden.
Staffan Lindeberg, a physician at Lund University, found that Swedish men with diabetes exhibited a large drop in their blood sugar levels after just 3 months on the "Paleolithic" diet. Of the 29 test subjects with diabetic conditions and heart disease, 14 had their blood sugar return to normal and their glucose tolerance improve by 26% while the rest, whose diet also included dairy products and grains, showed only a 7% improvement in glucose tolerance....
There is often debate about which is greener, washing dishes by hand or with a dishwasher? The discussion will probably end when Bosch's new ultrasonic dishwasher goes on sale. The Patent application claims "A dishwasher machine (1), in particular a domestic dishwasher machine, is described, comprising a washing container (2) and devices for washing items to be washed by means of washing solution, as well as a sound wave generator (5), wherein the sound wave generator (5) is used to generate a sound wave which at least assists the drying process of the items to be washed. In order to achieve the highest possible efficiency of the drying process, the sound wave generator (5) is designed to deliver sound waves of different frequency and/or amplitude."
The New Scientist notes that : "The conventional method is to heat the dishes while they are being washed. The dishes retain thermal energy, which heats any leftover water so that it evaporates quickly once the wash is over.
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Conflict Disclosure: Until recently my day job was working with Royal Homes to promote modern prefab. We commissioned Kohn Shnier Architects to design the small and efficient Q series, which was seen by a Toronto patron of the Arts, who asked for a larger version as a second home for two families in Muskoka, Ontario. I visited the site this week for the first time since the construction and installation, which can be seen here. Another disclosure: I am a terrible photographer and these pictures do not do it justice.
The building is essentially a sixteen foot deep wall; that the maximum width that can go down the road, and Martin Kohn took advantage of this to create the thin, long structure....
The UK government has approved a new scheme for desalination of water from the Thames, for use in London. The £200 million plant will be built in Beckton, east London. It's not a popular plan, though, among environmental campaigners. We've written before about how energy-intensive desalination is and how it can contribute to climate change, and recent plans for a similar plant in Australia came under attack for the same reason.
However, some concessions have been made. The planning authority only approved the scheme if renewable energy sources were used to power the plant, and if the plant only operates during periods of drought. A more cynical reporter could mention that it is still using power that could be used elsewhere, and that 'periods of drought' cover much of the year currently anyway. Once built, these rules could be stretched.
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Music festivals will always have a huge impact on the environment, it's inevitable. Tens of thousands of people all traveling from all over the country is bad news for a start, before you even take into account the huge energy requirements and massive amounts of waste. However, some are making a good attempt at minimizing their impact - I attended Latitude festival last weekend, and I was impressed by the amount of thought that went into it.
It was easy to get there on public transport. I traveled to the nearest train station, and there were regular shuttle buses to the venue. This cut down on the number of people who drove to the festival significantly. If you absolutely had to drive, then you could use the festivals own lift-share scheme to make sure that your car was filled up. You could also cycle to the event, with secure bike racks being made available, although I doubt I could have made it with my tent....
GoinGreen is the London-based company behind the success of the quirky-looking, but increasingly popular, G-Wiz electric car. As we saw in our interview with GoinGreen Managing Director Keith Johnston here and here, the company has followed a radically different model compared to the average car dealership, using viral marketing techniques, and refusing to invest in either advertising or showrooms.
Looking at the news section of the company’s website (and the streets of London), it seems that this approach may be paying off. May and June were apparently record months for deliveries of the G-Wiz, with over 150 vehicles hitting the streets in these two months alone. While these number would be pitiful for any regular car dealership, GoinGreen’s low-overheads approach is allowing them to slowly but surely increase their sales of a radically different product. The cars popularity is being helped by celebrity endorsements - Jerry Hall has just become a proud owner, and TV presenter Jonathan Ross has just taken delivery of his second G-Wiz. For the first time since the car began being marketed in London, the company is claiming that there is currently no wait for one of these efficient, nippy town cars. It looks like the G-Wiz virus may be in danger of becoming an epidemic. ::GoinGreen:: via site visit::
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The Italian government has made an official request that businesses loosen up on the dress code during hot summer months. A statement from the ministry claims that, "Taking your tie off immediately lowers the body temperature by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. Allowing a more sensible use of air conditioning that yields electricity savings and protects the environment.”
While this may not seem a significant message outside of Italy, by relating dress style to global warming the Italian government may have found a way to get the attention of a blasé public. One of the European Union’s most polluted members, Italy, in spite of various efforts to reduce emissions, is expected to exceed greenhouse gas emission targets. Perhaps by encouraging shabby dress in the workplace the government has tapped a nerve that will lead to other, more significant changes.
At least one tie-maker on the other hand is not impressed with the government’s anti-tie message. Reuters quotes from a letter to the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore: "Italy confirms that it is a strange country," said Flavio Cima "I, tie maker, am responsible for global warming. We can now happily continue with our lifestyle, using cars, consuming fuel, heating and cooling our homes at leisure. On one condition: we should not wear a tie while we do so." Via ::Yahoo News
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This week we speak with artist Alyce Santoro about her creation of a special fabric made from recycled audio tape. A musical collage based on the fabric also provides our soundtrack. We also take a look at an artistic experiment that lets houseplants phone their owners and make demands. Research non-profit Environmental Working Group sheds some light on things we probably don’t know about our sunscreen, and TreeHugger Lloyd Alter comments on the greenwashing of Harry Potter number seven. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio(This week’s installment of TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon)
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US Organic food sales were still growing rapidly in 2006 (3% of total food & beverage sales), but have not yet reached the market share already achieved in Europe (7-10% of total).
"U.S. organic food sales totaled nearly $17 billion in 2006, up 22 percent over the previous year, according to preliminary findings from the Organic Trade Association's 2007 Manufacturers Survey. In the U.S., organic foods' share of total retail sales of food and beverages was up to about 3 percent, up from 1.9 percent in 2003 and approximately 2.5 percent in 2005."
"About 31 percent of overall organic sales in 2006 were through mainstream supermarkets/grocery stores, and 24 percent were through the leading natural food supermarket chains such as Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Trader Joe's, according to the OCA."...
One more tale of romancing the coal. In addition to the one Lloyd posted, and the Abbott Laboratories story, recently written.
"Railroad operator CSX Corp. paid McGlotten & Jarvis $40,000 in the first half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form. The firm lobbied on legislation related to global warming and railroad security issues, according to the form posted online Tuesday by the Senate's public records office."
"In March, CSX said it was the first railroad company to join a federal program to set voluntary targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But the company, which is a major shipper of coal, is also among a number of railroad operators that is spending money to upgrade the nation's coal transportation network since coal accounts for about one-fifth - or $11 billion in 2006 - of the industry's revenue."
"In that regard, the railroad industry has joined mining and utility companies in touting the benefits of coal, which produces about half the nation's electricity. However, coal also produces more carbon dioxide - a contributor to global warming - than other fossil fuels."...
You could win a new Opel by driving with the least fuel over a 20km stretch in an Opel Corsa 1.3 CDTI, Astra 1.3 CDTI or a Vectra 1.9 CDTI. The contest is going on through 25 August at Opel dealers throughout Germany. The most fuel-efficient driver in each of the three models from each dealer will qualify for to win one of 50 eco-efficient Opel automobiles. Presumably Opel will have the cars set up with optimal tire pressure, topped up with light oil and carrying a tire repair kit rather than a spare, following their own fuel-saving tips (German). Drivers are advised to plan your trip to avoid stop-and-go or jammed traffic, look ahead to minimize braking, shift early to keep rpms low, and stay in gear rather than roll towards stoplights. Don't be afraid to turn the engine entirely off even for standing times as little as 3 mintues. And, of course, don't even think about switching the air conditioning on. ...
If the launch of Apple's iPhone a few weeks ago proved anything, it was that many of us still have an insatiable thirst for sleek, shiny and high tech devices and are more than willing to pay top billing for them. Recent consumer spending patterns in the home entertainment/theater areas have only reinforced this trend, with sales of plasma TVs, set-top boxes and DVDs continuing to soar.
Yet, according to tech writer Mark Fleishmann, this age of high tech excess may soon be winding down. Why? Peak oil, as he sees it, would be the main culprit. Having already discussed this topic at length in the past, you'll no doubt already be familiar with most of the points he lays out: the price of oil has risen to $71 in the wake of increased demand and reduced supplies, it follows a classic bell curve (easy to extract oil as the curve goes up, at the top reach peak oil, harder to extract oil as curve descends), etc. ...
Another alternative to harmful, chemically-dependent agriculture is cropping up in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and remarkably, it involves the use of homoeopathic concoctions to keep plants healthy.
While homoeopathy has demonstrated benefit when used on human beings, it now appears that it has the same effect on plant life as well. Over local 400 farmers have switched from soil-degrading chemicals to homoeopathic solutions and according to a government-appointed research group, their potato harvests have shown a longer shelf-life, in addition to an apparent increase in yield....
TreeHugger Forums continue to rock 'n roll, as a few older threads (like this one about "ungreen confessions") keep pace with the steady stream of green ideas, thoughts and questions coming in, and if you like what you see, remember, we're looking for some new moderators. Here are some of the recent highlights...
1) New forum user rsktkr says, "I just joined this forum (great site BTW....very impressed) and nobody is talking about the greatest impact that we as individuals can have on the environment on a daily basis.....replace your lawn with an artificial lawn." The benefits? "No mowing (we use the equivalent of 10 cars emissions whenever we mow)no more chemicals that poison our water supply, no more wasting water!!! On average an artificial lawn application will save you 56,000 gallons per year!!!!" Hmm.
2) Another new user, Bebe580, says, "I have a question concerning recycling. A few days ago I was watching the morning news and the guy (can't remember his name) being interviewed who wrote Freakanomics says that it's actually a bad idea to recycle plastics and newspapers. A couples of his reasons were that the process involved costs too much and that it creates more pollution to recycle them. He also says that many cities don't recycle plastics because it costs so much." True or false?
3) Forum user Nowun IP has an interesting question: "How feasible is it to grow trees on some sort of floating island (don't ask me made of what, I haven't gotten that far yet) out in the middle of the ocean? Considering humans are constantly expanding their living space, yet we like our air...what all is in the way of building interconnected, small, solar powered, satellite guided, mobile islands of trees? $ would be a problem, floating the island, not harming ocean inhabitants, and what else would be problems?" More hot topics beneath the fold...
The new UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was depicted as the 'Great Plane Robber' in a series of Ryanair adverts which have been pulled out of circulation. Brown increased air passenger duty, apparently to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment, although Ryanair obviously were implying that it was instead motivated by profit. They claimed that the government would make more than £1bn from the increase and that they didn't plan to invest any of the revenue into environmental projects.
The Advertising Standards Authority received a total of 48 complaints, most relating to Ryanair's claim that, "aviation accounts for just 2% of CO2 emissions". These claims were found to be unreliable and without basis, so the adverts were pulled. The authority also disagreed with Ryanair's claim that none of the tax revenue would be used in environmental projects. The government said that some of the money would go towards, "environmental measures and in increasing public transport". ...
We're completely downward dog with aGaIN NYC's hip, one-of-a-kind yoga bags. Made from repurposed fabric and a contrasting vintage men's tie, each $45 bag also features a small zippered pocket perfect for stashing loose change and your Metro card, so you can stretch, flex, and meditate unburdened. Slip in a standard-size yoga mat and secure with the drawstring closure.
More styles below the fold. :: aGaiN NYC
See also: :: Eco Mats by Eco Yoga, :: The Harmony Natural Rubber Yoga Mat, :: Organic Cotton Yoga Rugs, and :: Cleaning Your Yoga Mat, Naturally
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The Tesla is one hell of a sports car. We're obviously biased, but we honestly think that it's going to sell really well if enough people become aware of it. The video above is good news in this respect - it shows some shots taken for a commercial for Project Gotham Racing 4 from Microsoft, which will feature the Roadster.
You can see that it's competing pretty well compared to the other cars there, which represent an impressive collection of desirable sports cars. Getting featured in a computer game is going to do wonders for it's reputation. Hopefully little kids (future car-buying adults) are going to start looking at the Roadster as a 'real' sports car. ::Auto Blog Green...
Apartment therapy is running such a TreeHugger type survey that we thought that we would just steal it. They are writing from a "parlor-floor apartment in an old massive-walled brick building stays cool with the use of a ceiling fan"- staying cool in the City has its own issues and solutions. They note: "Lots of people use an air conditioner. Lots of others don't, out of environmental concerns, discomfort, or to keep the power bill down." They also point to a very useful guide from RealSimple: 23 ways to beat the heat.
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A team of researchers at Harvard University have created a life-size, robotic fly that they say has potential applications in spying as well as for detecting noxious chemicals. To build such a tiny robot, with a wingspan of only 3 cm and a weight of 60 milligrams, they developed a new fabrication process that consisted of using laser micromachining to slice thin sheets of carbon fiber and arranging them into functional parts.
They also incorporated electroactive polymers, which can change shape upon being exposed to voltage, into the parts to make them responsive to electrical signals. "Nature makes the world's best fliers," said Robert Wood, the project's leader and a professor at Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences....
We do so many posts about China; its problems shouldn't be surprising since we outsourced our pollution and greenhouse gas emissions along with our manufacturing jobs, but who is running the show? Business Week asks:
Why is it so hard for this same government to crack down on exporters of dangerously tainted seafood, toothpaste, and medicine, despite years of warnings by local and foreign experts? The relentless headlines about unsafe products from China reveal a scary truth: Probe even a little into the Chinese economic miracle and glaring administrative failures abound. Product safety is just one aspect of Beijing's inability to enforce needed regulation in everything from manufacturing and the environment to copyrights and the capital markets.
In its latest issue, Popular Science champions genetic and geo-engineering as strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on the planet and save the environment in a series of articles collectively referred to as "Duct Tape Methods to Save the Earth." The proposed schemes range from a plan to use huge blankets to wrap thawing glaciers in the Alps to using genetically modified tree plantations to replace thinning rainforests.
We've often been skeptical of the feasibility and long-term viability of geo-engineering in the past and certainly aren't big fans of genetic engineering. Having said that, we thought several of these schemes worth mentioning, were it not only for their sheer creativity, since similar ideas may very well be implemented in the near future as a series of quick fixes to our deteriorating environment (though the jury is still out on their potential for sucess)....
Interior designer and fashion stylist Scott Newkirk loved the 1973 eco-classic Handmade Houses: A Guide to the Woodbutcher’s Art and decided to build a 300 square foot off-grid cabin in the woods. It took two years to build; being a New York designer, it's not quite handmade and he "had a hard time finding builders who got his idea for a simple, rough-hewn look."-silly builders, they try to make it look finished.
It's small, it's built from salvaged and reclaimed materials and it's pretty basic. Nice.
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Core77 points us to a great essay by designer Khoi Vinh about the relationship between planned obsolescence -- the idea that objects are designed with a specific lifetime in mind -- and "designed deterioration" -- the very TreeHugger idea that we should be designing objects that actually improve with age. Held up as examples are digital hardware (like the iPhone) vs. a cast-iron pan.
I've noticed recently that the concept of what we might call designed deterioration is fairly anathema to digital hardware. The objects we purchase from purveyors of digital technology are conceived only up to the point of sale; the inevitable nicks, scratches, weathering, and fading they will encounter is not factored in at all. The result is that as they see more use, their ignorance may recede, but they wear it poorly. They don't age gracefully.
Photo credit: Peter Prehn
It'd be easier for Judy Steele to grow cannabis in her garden in Warwickshire, England, than it'd be to plant Carruther's Purple Podded peas, Auntie Madge's tomato, or Mr. Stiff's bunching onion. In fact, it's illegal to buy seeds of this old variety. But Steele, who is growing a row of those peas anyway, is hardly a criminal or some kind of botanical terrorist—the self-described "foster mother for orphaned pea varieties" is one of 300 seed guardians for Garden Organic, formerly known as the Henry Doubleday Research Association, based at Ryton, near Coventry.
Garden Organic's extensive seed library contains 800 traditional vegetable varieties once grown in Britain but are now outlawed by European legislation. How did society reach the point that growing food became a criminal move? Or an act of subversion?...
It's getting close to Solar Decathlon time, when TreeHugger is filled with green architectural wonders from the twenty entries in this competition sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy to "design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home."
First up is the University of Illinois, which is "meant to be a display to people that being comfortable and conserving energy aren’t two different things, that we can build a house that requires only 10 percent of the energy a typical house today requires, build it with today’s technologies and show that it saves money.”...
With the promise of reduced costs and increased efficiency, the virtualization rage continues in the techno-sphere. The basic premise of virtualization is to make one server do the work of many; this increases utilization, and hence requires less servers. Fewer servers mean less power, which in turn means less CO2, thus saving the planet. Simple.
But now there's a counterpoint; "yes, you have fewer servers in a virtualized environment, but each one of those servers is more heavily utilized, and because they are doing more work their power consumption goes up. The net gain is zero." Can that be? When we interviewed Foedus, they claimed one could get up to a 20 to 1 reduction in hardware using virtualization; it's hard to believe that doesn't more than make up for the extra power. Quocirca did their own analysis and came to the same conclusion. On the other hand, when we interviewed John Engates of Rackspace, he agreed that the power to run the heavier-laden box beats the costs of buying it - the juice beats the iron.
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One of the forerunners of eco-fashion in the States, Indigenous Designs, has been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal this week, not for their environmental sense, but for their business sense. With over ten years of success behind them Indigenous Designs are continuing to grow and expand into new markets, proving that ethical fashion and commercial success are not mutually exclusive. This September their clothes will be stocked in Dillards department stores and according to co-founder Scott Leonard this year the company's revenue is expected to double to more than $4 million from $2 million last year. He goes on to say that the number of individual stores stocking Indigenous Designs clothing has jumped 75% in the past 18 months. Is this success due purely to the ethical nature of the brand?...
Renovation is the greenest way to build, but so often our older buildings are left to rot and collapse. Toronto's 1850 era Walnut Hall was designated as historic ten years ago, but was left empty and exposed until bricks started falling off it and the City demolished it. The owner quoted Captain Renaud from Casablanca: "We're shocked, we're quite disturbed by the whole thing." Chris Hume notes in The Star that "heritage preservation is a crucial aspect of metropolitan civilization" but in Toronto and most of North America, "nothing should be allowed to interfere with the rights of property owners, even when they are yahoos who would wreck a unique and valuable site to make a buck."
Catherine Nasmith of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario is disgusted.
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With great concern for the birds, TreeHugger has posted a series of articles on the problems of wind turbines and bird flyways. We sent a post to one of our favorite green groups - The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) - and were surprised to learn that Israeli ornithologists are involved in monitoring wind turbines and bird migration. One of their conclusions is that perhaps Israel should not operate wind farms at all.
Writes Michelle Levine from the SPNI:
Dan Alon, head of the Israel Ornithological Center (the IOC is also under the umbrella of SPNI), is currently doing research on wind turbines and birds. I'm pasting an article below which I wrote with IOC ornithologist Zev Labinger on this subject regarding our research on wind turbines and migration here in Israel.
You can read Michelle’s article after the jump. ...
Designer Chris Kirby wants us all to compost. Believing that "if we are to value food waste, then we should treat it with importance," he created the Compost Vase, an artful, dare we say, sexy (oh, we dare!) accoutrement for composting. Says Kirby, "Made from porcelain, I wanted the compost vase to be a treasured object dedicated to the reclaimation of food wastes. The compost vase introduces ritual into food waste collection. During meal preparation, it lays flat to receive trimmings from the cutting board. At mealtime, it sits on its side as a reinterpretation of the Victorian 'bone dish'. Upright, it is a vase for display." Once you get the basics of compost down, this could be an easy way to make it a bit more fun. The design was one of "10 highly commended entries" in designboom's "ceramics for breakfast" design contest; learn more about Chris at his website and check out more pics beneath the fold. ::Chris Kirby Design's Compost Vase via ::designboom...
Image: Photograph: Wuhan/AP
"Wuhan, Hebei province: A man collects dead fish in Donghu lake, where officials say an estimated 30,000kg of fish have been killed by a combination of pollution and hot weather".
::The Guardian
More after the jump......
For many of us, nothing says summer like a dinner from the grill. The taste of marinated flank steak, barbecued chicken and fresh veggies is so yummy when it comes off the Weber, not to mention the cleanup is a quick one so we can enjoy the warm nights. But have you thought about the impact on our environment that may come from grilling? Last year, Lloyd gave you some tips on how to grill greener and we’re bringing you even more with the “P’s and Q’s of BBQ” from the Sierra Club. While your backyard barbie alone isn’t going ruin the environment, the Sierra Club notes that 60 million of us fire up the grill over holidays like Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. They also say that “Three out of four U.S. households own at least one barbecue grill. Among grill owners, 48 percent fire up with charcoal, 61 percent with propane, and 7 percent with electricity.” We understand the love for a charcoal grill so if that’s the way you choose to go, check out companies like Wicked Good Charcoal that produce charcoal that is 100% natural. ::”P’s and Q’s of BBQ” from the Sierra Club Also see: “Get Your Grill On” from the Sierra Club...
TreeHugger has teamed up with Instructables and Popular Science to bring you the Go Green! contest. We want to know how you're reducing your environmental footprint, and hopefully saving some cash in the process. Are you modding your gear, simplifying your life, or building something awesome? Tell us what you're doing to go green, and teach us how -- share what you know! Whether you're making your own microwavable mitten warmers, building a 1000 Watt wind turbine, stitching up a cloth grocery bag or hammering together some recycled modular shelving, this is all about DIY ingenuity and making the most of what we've got. So, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle, and rebuild, then show us what you are doing to make your life a little bit greener! Need more ideas? Hit up our guides for How to Go Green or check out PopSci's green coverage.
The deadline for entries is August 19, 2007 (get all the details here) and the judging panel will include head TreeHuggers Graham Hill and Ken Rother and Voltaic Systems CEO Shayne McQuade (who is also a member of TreeHugger's Board of Advisors). The grand prize winner will receive a Breezer Liberty hybrid commuter bicycle with pedal-powered lights, a brief write-up in a future issue of Popular Science, and a 1-year subscription to Popular Science magazine. Good luck! All the details are at ::Instructables...
The UK shed scene is so creative; so many designers are offering holiday homes, caravans and sheds that one could devote an entire website to them. (hey, someone did!) Philip Simpson "wanted something that would enhance the user's appreciation of the outdoors, from both inside and out." and sketched up the Orb (on backs of envelopes and restaurant napkins, of course.) Architect David Miller and interior design consultancy Real Studios polished it off.
"Its unique oval shape and generous glazing provide a luxurious sense of space and light, as well as intrinsic strength, flexibility, sustainability and superb insulation efficiency."
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The problem of toxic electronic waste is no longer a dirty little secret. Thanks to relentless efforts of consumer advocacy groups, photojournalists -- and, we like to think, little old blogs like us -- the computer industry is starting to take notice. Obvious first steps like the elimination of lead, and reduction of fire retardants, and institution of recycling programs are being rolled out all across the industry. But the holy grail of recycling, product take-back, still hadn't been tackled, until now. Newcomer Zonbu recently introduced its Zonbox home networking PC, and one of the coolest features is one you don't get to use until it breaks....
While the tragedy of the exploding New York City steam pipe is still on the news, this would be a good time to point out an example of the environmental benefits of below-ground urban steam use. Back in May it was reported that in the City of Duluth Minnesota, [USA] "crews were pumping insulation into the conduits that cradle Duluth's network of steam pipes." The Duluth cooperative steam plant delivers steam via underground pipes to more than 225 buildings in Canal Park and downtown Duluth, and demand for its steam heat is growing. For the future:- "Following a $1 million investment in equipment, the facility probably could generate about 1 megawatt of power with the steam it currently produces. "
"It's part of a $4.2 million initiative to improve the efficiency of the city's steam works. The project will involve updating coal pulverizers, installing new boiler controls, wrapping valves and expansion joints with insulation blankets, repairing the team plant's smokestack and replacing its coal conveyance system. When all the work is done, analysts predict the city steam plant will be able to cut its diet of coal by 17 percent, said Jerry Pelofske, manager of the Duluth Steam Cooperative Association. Pelofske believes there's plenty of life left in the plant, which will mark its 75th birthday this year."...
UK solar company Solarcentury is one of those companies that just keeps on cropping up on TreeHugger. Most recently we’ve covered their work to get part-funded solar panels to schools, and their collaboration with Barclaycard to even provide them free for a select few learning establishments. We’ve also written about their expansion to Spain, and once upon a time we even interviewed Jeremy Leggett, the company’s CEO, who also happens to be a leading peak oil expert and former oil man. Now we see from Solarcentury’s website that, for a limited period of time, they are offering lucky customers the chance to get 50% more capacity on solar installations free of charge:
“For a limited time only, leading solar solutions provider Solarcentury is offering its customers the opportunity to generate 50% more energy, for free. By purchasing a 36 solar photovoltaic roof tile system for the price of a 24-tile system, customers can save £3,514 and increase their electricity generation. The offer is only available until 31st September so those who are interested need to act quickly. Available through selected builders’ merchants and direct to housebuilders from Solarcentury, each system comes with everything needed to start generating clean electricity straight away; 36 C21e solar roof tiles and fixings, a grid connected inverter and DC isolators, a kilowatt hour generation meter, a wireless personal display and DC cabling.”
Providing healthy lunches for school children has been an on-going debate and dilemma in Britain. Jamie Oliver waded into the fray and managed to get the government to up its standards, whilst being pilloried by some mothers who sold chocolate bars to the deprived students through the fences. Students in one third of all secondary schools have rejected healthy school lunches, preferring french fries. But 80% of all elementary schools report that the adoption of school lunches has improved. Of course the little ones don't have any choice, but with food being provided by the likes of the Duke of Cambridge pub, they can consider themselves lucky.
The pub, the first organic gastro-pub in the UK, has teamed up with one local school to create a version of its menu to suit pupils and has also provided the links to the organic food suppliers. The chefs from the pub have taught school cooks how to make stock and mustard vinaigrette as well as fish filleting. Parents are invited to tastings and trial runs are being made with the children before the new school year. As the principal said "We're not trying to be posh, this is not just for middle-class people. Good food is good food". And the menu: butternut squash and pea risotto with pan-friend lentil burgers, rhubarb crumble with cream, or salmon pie with mashed potato topping and steamed savoy cabbage. Where do we sign up? :: The Guardian...
A need for simple, modern, affordable furniture was the ultimate goal for Cain Collection (chair pictured here) from the designers at STAACH; but they've gone far beyond that, including some useful extra features like being stackable and the ability to be upholstered.
Chair is Simple and Modern, but Sustainable Too!
Even better, the line is the first production piece to truly encompass their concept of "sustainability" in manufacturing and design; the wood comes from sustainable sources in New York and Pennsylvania, and all the fabrication is done in house with only two tools. The chairs are finished with non-toxic wood glue and water-based, low- to no-VOC lacquers, and can be flat packed (requiring a bit of assembly) for shipping. This modern, stackable, sustainable chair by STAACH is available at Branch....
Well, that may be a somewhat humorous take on a huge issue, but the good news is that a majority of American voters in six congressional districts now see global warming as the biggest environmental problem according to a new poll by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Seventy-three percent of the voters polled favored immediate measures to reduce carbon emissions with just 19% favoring the idea of waiting for new technologies to solve the crisis. And sixty-three percent of voters polled support the idea of placing mandatory limits on emissions from power plants through a cap-and-trade system that allows trading in carbon pollution permits to help make that happen. By a measure of 50 to 25 percent, voters polled said that pollution permits should be sold to U.S. companies with the revenues dedicated to funding new energy saving technologies, and protecting consumers and displaced workers. Clearly, the greater percentage of those polled do not want to see the permits given to U.S. companies for free…...
See if these folks were flaunting sexy butts, then you wouldn't want to get 'em off the beach. Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), Marine Conservation Society and British Naturist campaigners took to a Brighton beach and took a crack at getting out the word. You say but you've told us this before. But it's too difficult to get rid of my cigarette butt when I'm at the beach. Butt, butt, butt...
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The Rainforest Alliance education program encourages schools to weave environmental topics into into their curricula. Instead of reading Curious George (a property of Universal Studios) the kids in this video become howler monkies bellowing with delight, breathing life into the grown-up TreeHugger's concern for "biodiversity." While teachers celebrate the difference between rainforest species, students make that same comparison between their own lives and those of children in other countries such as Guatemala or Ecuador. Students then complete an essay about their experiences, thereby fulfilling district initiatives in writing -- all while imagining far off foresty worlds as immediate, while empathizing with peers who live lives beyond computer screens. The creativity is so manifest that one grade-schooler transforms the potentially dry statistic "in the rainforest it can rain 400 inches in a year" into a bubbly tune that he performs for the camera. Seeing the vibrant colors of the kids' classroom in the video may transport some adults back in time, in their minds and in their feelings, to a more receptive place where what the eyes grasped became fertilizer for the imagination. For those smaller humans still in possession of that faculty, what could be more nourishing than the exciting vibrance of the rainforest? Not just for its colors, but for the very pulse of its life, an energy with which they still remain close. Where there may be room enough in a child's imagination for both Transformers and Jaguars, we at TreeHugger are of the firm opinion that if an opportunity cost is at hand, Transformers get the boot.
via: Susty.tv...
Looking down from the formal heights of The Economist offices, a green carpet invites you to come out and take a break. A lush grass installation of 40 square meters fills this little bit of London with a relaxed atmosphere and invites you to gather on its comfortable surface. 'Convocation’ calls individuals to come together without restriction. The installation, which opened yesterday, is commissioned by the Economist Group and designed by Sparks, an interdisciplinary collaboration of artists and designers based in London.
The Economist symbolises the big picture, as a commentator on the major forces that inform and direct the course of whole communities and societies. The grass symbolises the small picture, where a chance interaction between two people can be just as transformative.
So ok, the grass is artificial, not natural… but think about all the water and pesticides they save?! It is, like Marcus Willcock explains, about people connecting more with their environments and each other: an injection of green in the heart of one of London's grey-suit and grey-stone commercial contexts. In case Sparks wanted to repeat the act with real grass, here's the organic way to the perfect lawn. You can convoke until September 14th at The Economist Plaza, 10am to 6pm, 25 St. James’s Street in London. ::Sparks Thanks Marcus for the tip.
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It sounds like three Welsh fishing buddies have developed the next best thing to a perpetual motion machine. The concept is thus: Fitted to car instead of an exhaust their Greenbox device traps carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The box needs to be replaced about every full tank of fuel. “Through a chemical reaction, the captured gases from the box would be fed to algae, which would then be crushed to produce a bio-oil. This extract can be converted to produce a biodiesel almost identical to normal diesel.” Voila! - driving your car produces fuel. After a couple of years of testing and umpteen hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in research it would appear that there is more to this than the usual magic solution that crosses our desks. Of course the devil is usually in the detail. ...
Hi,
I'm considering purchasing a 2007 Mercedes Bluetec e320 Diesel. My question is "Is this car really green?"
My 04 Prius has 60k miles and is worse for wear and I'm too tall to comfortably drive it any longer. I can't help but think the Bluetec is a step in reverse for me personally and that I really want to move forward with a Plug-in Hybrid or full EV, but no options exist. I'm tired of driving a constrictive tiny car built for the 95% of Japanese people, I'm not willing to accept a hybrid SUV, the notion is ridiculous. I want 50mpg+! and I want to stop BURNING fuel. What's my next car?
Thanks!
Lex
Hey Lex,
Is the Mercedes Bluetec e320 Diesel green? Well, one thing's for certain...it doesn't feel as green as a Prius. Unfortunately, it's hard to get both the green feeling and the headroom. Green cars aren't small because they're built for Japanese people, they're small because to be efficient, cars need to be light, and present a low profile to the 70 mph winds that constantly buffet highway cars. ...
Ed. note: This is the second post (read the first one about biodiesel) in the Green Basics series of posts that TreeHugger is writing to provide basic information about important ideas, materials and technologies for new greenies (or those who just need a quick refresher). Read on, about compost and stay tuned!What is compost?Compost is the "aerobically derived remnants of organic materials" (thank you Wikipedia), meaning its what you get when you combine the leftovers of plant and animal-based stuff, add a little air, water and nitrogen. The decomposition is performed primarily by aerobes (organisms with oxygen-based metabolism), although larger creatures such as ants, nematodes, and worms (this process is also known as vermiculture) can also contribute. This decomposition occurs naturally except for in extreme anaerobic conditions, like in landfills, very arid deserts or cold weather such as boreal winters or polar regions, which prevent the microbes and other decomposers from thriving. Decomposition happens even in the absence of some of these ingredients, but not as quickly or as pleasantly. Compost is used most often at the consumer level in gardening and agriculture as a fertilizer-type soil additive, and can also often replace commercial fertilizers....
Globally, companies sold more than $32 billion in nanotechnology-enabled products last year. Yep, nanotech is here to stay, but what the heck is it? 42% of us don't know what it is, but it makes fabric water resistant (which not everyone likes) and can help glass clean itself. Here are some of our favorite implementations.
1) First of all, nanotech "matters" because of the absolutely endless problem-solving possibilities it offers the world, from the nano scale on up. Carbon tubes manufactured to this size -- nanotubes -- are stronger than steel wire, more conducive than copper wire and can support their weight a million times over. The possible applications are vast.
2) Buckypaper, named for Buckminsterfullerene and our old friend Buckminster Fuller and made from the carbon nanotubes mentioned above, is 10 times lighter and 250 times stronger than steel, but is also highly conductive of heat and electricity. If the researchers are successful in making Buckypaper hold a charge it would be more energy-efficient, lighter, and would allow for a more uniform level of brightness than current CRT and LCD technology.
3) Similarly, NanoSafe battery cells show some promise in replacing current lithium-ion technology; even after 15,000 cycles, the cells still retained over 85% of their original charge capacity. Phoenix Motorcars will feature them in their upcoming line of electric pickup trucks. The remaining two picks are after the jump...
If climate change is primarily the result of burning fossil fuels isn't offsetting with trees simply a distraction? Shouldn't we focus on renewable energy projects that can replace the use of fossil fuel?
It's true that burning fossil fuels accounts for the largest proportion of carbon emissions. Nevertheless, the loss of trees plays a significant role. The conversion of forests has contributed around 30% of the total carbon build up in the atmosphere since 1850. And it continues – deforestation still accounts for over 20% of emissions a year. ...
Here's a video from the recent Postopolis! event, that saw New York City-based designers, architects and bloggers come together to forge a greener future over a chat. Included on the panel are TreeHugger's fearless leader Graham Hill as well as Metropolis magazine Editor Susan Szenasy, Jill from Inhabitat and Allan Chochinov at Core77, and the topics include sustainability, design, green building and urbanism and more. If you find this clip as interesting as we do, there's more that digs further into issues of sustainable consumption and role of new media, among other topics. Thanks to Jill at Inhabitat for helping coordinate everything! ::Postopolis! via ::Inhabitat...
Cards can be a beautiful way to commemorate everything from a birthday to a book deal, but they're as transient as gifts come; unless its hand-painted, a card rarely sees more than a month on display before it hits the trash. These Bloom and Grow cards from UncommonGoods are designed with this short lifetime in mind, and in true cradle-to-cradle spirit, feed the earth once they're discarded. Seeds are embedded in each card, and with a little patience and water, will bloom into healthy flowers after the card is buried. While building an entire garden from these cards might only be possible for the super-popular, they're perfect for anyone who will actually take the time to make the seeds sprout. I only wish there was an option to send local seeds- perhaps you could choose varsities based on the recipient's climate region.
Disclaimer: I was employed by UncommonGoods in 2006...
Check out recycled rings jewellery range, gorgeous and original, totally planet friendly and without the internal conflict that comes with wearing diamonds and other mined gemstones. Other conflict free jewellery includes the GreenKarat and Liana Kabels designs. We love this anti-diamond ring, the envy ring and the best friend ring, each ring is reconstructed from found jewelry and hand sewn/embroidered and embellished. ::recycled rings ::via modish and CRAFTzine. ...
It's really quite amazing to see how far the green world has come in just a year. To wit, one year ago on TreeHugger, we were just becoming acquainted with the Tesla Roadster and Robert Redford was just announcing the new green ambitions of the Sundance Channel; since then, the roadster has been all over the news and Sundance is already working on Season Two of the Green television programming. Not everything has been quite so widely accepted, though; we're happy to say that the "smart" conversion to the "ForFun" has not caught on with the same level of popularity.
In addition, last July 21 also saw TreeHuggerTV at Bonnaroo, biodiesel made from leftover catfish guts and bioplastics made from cow poo. We peeked at the GoBike, another snazzy folding bike, accessorized with this wind-powered bike light gazed way out at a deepwater wind farm slated for construction in Scotland. We even found time to put out a call for more Honorary TreeHuggers. Hit the jump to see the full list of entries from last year....
Finally after all these years I might get a picture up on Cute Overload. I mean, who could resist those baleful eyes staring at you, making you ask "how much is that discarded Japanese kitchenware (spoons, kettles, cups etc) recycled into that doggie in the window?" ...
We spied Sugar the Treats Truck, which we've covered before, next to the Barnes & Noble on 23rd and 6th.
The Red Hook, Brooklyn-based mobile retail bakery runs on compressed natural gas (CNG), which produces less exhaust and carbon emissions than diesel and gasoline do. While actual emissions will vary with engine design, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that compared with gasoline, CNG offers potential reductions in carbon-monoxide emissions of 90 to 97 percent, as well as reductions in carbon-dioxide emissions by 25 percent. ...
We will most likely see larger than previously expected increases in sea levels over the next century according to a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, Boulder. They anticipate that the global warming-induced melting of mountain glaciers and ice caps will account for the brunt of that rise, as much as 2-3 times more than the amount originally predicted.
The scientists used satellite monitoring to determine the contribution of all land-based ice (except for Greenland and Antarctica's huge ice sheets) to rising sea levels and found that the volume of ice melting into the sea each year from ice caps and glaciers was 100 cubic miles (or 417 cubic km). They determined, however, that this volume had now increased by a further 3 cubic miles each year, prompted by an acceleration in the rate at which the ice caps and glaciers are melting....
Here's one diet plan even you assiduous fad followers have probably never heard about: the "Paleolithic" diet. As the name implies, this diet essentially consists of foods that were regularly consumed by our Stone Age forbears and includes such staples as root vegetables, lean meat, nuts and eggs. Perhaps not surprisingly, given its simplicity and variety, this diet was found to yield significant health benefits in a recent study conducted in Sweden.
Staffan Lindeberg, a physician at Lund University, found that Swedish men with diabetes exhibited a large drop in their blood sugar levels after just 3 months on the "Paleolithic" diet. Of the 29 test subjects with diabetic conditions and heart disease, 14 had their blood sugar return to normal and their glucose tolerance improve by 26% while the rest, whose diet also included dairy products and grains, showed only a 7% improvement in glucose tolerance....
There is often debate about which is greener, washing dishes by hand or with a dishwasher? The discussion will probably end when Bosch's new ultrasonic dishwasher goes on sale. The Patent application claims "A dishwasher machine (1), in particular a domestic dishwasher machine, is described, comprising a washing container (2) and devices for washing items to be washed by means of washing solution, as well as a sound wave generator (5), wherein the sound wave generator (5) is used to generate a sound wave which at least assists the drying process of the items to be washed. In order to achieve the highest possible efficiency of the drying process, the sound wave generator (5) is designed to deliver sound waves of different frequency and/or amplitude."
The New Scientist notes that : "The conventional method is to heat the dishes while they are being washed. The dishes retain thermal energy, which heats any leftover water so that it evaporates quickly once the wash is over.
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Conflict Disclosure: Until recently my day job was working with Royal Homes to promote modern prefab. We commissioned Kohn Shnier Architects to design the small and efficient Q series, which was seen by a Toronto patron of the Arts, who asked for a larger version as a second home for two families in Muskoka, Ontario. I visited the site this week for the first time since the construction and installation, which can be seen here. Another disclosure: I am a terrible photographer and these pictures do not do it justice.
The building is essentially a sixteen foot deep wall; that the maximum width that can go down the road, and Martin Kohn took advantage of this to create the thin, long structure....
The UK government has approved a new scheme for desalination of water from the Thames, for use in London. The £200 million plant will be built in Beckton, east London. It's not a popular plan, though, among environmental campaigners. We've written before about how energy-intensive desalination is and how it can contribute to climate change, and recent plans for a similar plant in Australia came under attack for the same reason.
However, some concessions have been made. The planning authority only approved the scheme if renewable energy sources were used to power the plant, and if the plant only operates during periods of drought. A more cynical reporter could mention that it is still using power that could be used elsewhere, and that 'periods of drought' cover much of the year currently anyway. Once built, these rules could be stretched.
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Music festivals will always have a huge impact on the environment, it's inevitable. Tens of thousands of people all traveling from all over the country is bad news for a start, before you even take into account the huge energy requirements and massive amounts of waste. However, some are making a good attempt at minimizing their impact - I attended Latitude festival last weekend, and I was impressed by the amount of thought that went into it.
It was easy to get there on public transport. I traveled to the nearest train station, and there were regular shuttle buses to the venue. This cut down on the number of people who drove to the festival significantly. If you absolutely had to drive, then you could use the festivals own lift-share scheme to make sure that your car was filled up. You could also cycle to the event, with secure bike racks being made available, although I doubt I could have made it with my tent....
GoinGreen is the London-based company behind the success of the quirky-looking, but increasingly popular, G-Wiz electric car. As we saw in our interview with GoinGreen Managing Director Keith Johnston here and here, the company has followed a radically different model compared to the average car dealership, using viral marketing techniques, and refusing to invest in either advertising or showrooms.
Looking at the news section of the company’s website (and the streets of London), it seems that this approach may be paying off. May and June were apparently record months for deliveries of the G-Wiz, with over 150 vehicles hitting the streets in these two months alone. While these number would be pitiful for any regular car dealership, GoinGreen’s low-overheads approach is allowing them to slowly but surely increase their sales of a radically different product. The cars popularity is being helped by celebrity endorsements - Jerry Hall has just become a proud owner, and TV presenter Jonathan Ross has just taken delivery of his second G-Wiz. For the first time since the car began being marketed in London, the company is claiming that there is currently no wait for one of these efficient, nippy town cars. It looks like the G-Wiz virus may be in danger of becoming an epidemic. ::GoinGreen:: via site visit::
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The Italian government has made an official request that businesses loosen up on the dress code during hot summer months. A statement from the ministry claims that, "Taking your tie off immediately lowers the body temperature by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. Allowing a more sensible use of air conditioning that yields electricity savings and protects the environment.”
While this may not seem a significant message outside of Italy, by relating dress style to global warming the Italian government may have found a way to get the attention of a blasé public. One of the European Union’s most polluted members, Italy, in spite of various efforts to reduce emissions, is expected to exceed greenhouse gas emission targets. Perhaps by encouraging shabby dress in the workplace the government has tapped a nerve that will lead to other, more significant changes.
At least one tie-maker on the other hand is not impressed with the government’s anti-tie message. Reuters quotes from a letter to the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore: "Italy confirms that it is a strange country," said Flavio Cima "I, tie maker, am responsible for global warming. We can now happily continue with our lifestyle, using cars, consuming fuel, heating and cooling our homes at leisure. On one condition: we should not wear a tie while we do so." Via ::Yahoo News
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US Organic food sales were still growing rapidly in 2006 (3% of total food & beverage sales), but have not yet reached the market share already achieved in Europe (7-10% of total).
"U.S. organic food sales totaled nearly $17 billion in 2006, up 22 percent over the previous year, according to preliminary findings from the Organic Trade Association's 2007 Manufacturers Survey. In the U.S., organic foods' share of total retail sales of food and beverages was up to about 3 percent, up from 1.9 percent in 2003 and approximately 2.5 percent in 2005."
"About 31 percent of overall organic sales in 2006 were through mainstream supermarkets/grocery stores, and 24 percent were through the leading natural food supermarket chains such as Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Trader Joe's, according to the OCA."...
One more tale of romancing the coal. In addition to the one Lloyd posted, and the Abbott Laboratories story, recently written.
"Railroad operator CSX Corp. paid McGlotten & Jarvis $40,000 in the first half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form. The firm lobbied on legislation related to global warming and railroad security issues, according to the form posted online Tuesday by the Senate's public records office."
"In March, CSX said it was the first railroad company to join a federal program to set voluntary targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. But the company, which is a major shipper of coal, is also among a number of railroad operators that is spending money to upgrade the nation's coal transportation network since coal accounts for about one-fifth - or $11 billion in 2006 - of the industry's revenue."
"In that regard, the railroad industry has joined mining and utility companies in touting the benefits of coal, which produces about half the nation's electricity. However, coal also produces more carbon dioxide - a contributor to global warming - than other fossil fuels."...
You could win a new Opel by driving with the least fuel over a 20km stretch in an Opel Corsa 1.3 CDTI, Astra 1.3 CDTI or a Vectra 1.9 CDTI. The contest is going on through 25 August at Opel dealers throughout Germany. The most fuel-efficient driver in each of the three models from each dealer will qualify for to win one of 50 eco-efficient Opel automobiles. Presumably Opel will have the cars set up with optimal tire pressure, topped up with light oil and carrying a tire repair kit rather than a spare, following their own fuel-saving tips (German). Drivers are advised to plan your trip to avoid stop-and-go or jammed traffic, look ahead to minimize braking, shift early to keep rpms low, and stay in gear rather than roll towards stoplights. Don't be afraid to turn the engine entirely off even for standing times as little as 3 mintues. And, of course, don't even think about switching the air conditioning on. ...
If the launch of Apple's iPhone a few weeks ago proved anything, it was that many of us still have an insatiable thirst for sleek, shiny and high tech devices and are more than willing to pay top billing for them. Recent consumer spending patterns in the home entertainment/theater areas have only reinforced this trend, with sales of plasma TVs, set-top boxes and DVDs continuing to soar.
Yet, according to tech writer Mark Fleishmann, this age of high tech excess may soon be winding down. Why? Peak oil, as he sees it, would be the main culprit. Having already discussed this topic at length in the past, you'll no doubt already be familiar with most of the points he lays out: the price of oil has risen to $71 in the wake of increased demand and reduced supplies, it follows a classic bell curve (easy to extract oil as the curve goes up, at the top reach peak oil, harder to extract oil as curve descends), etc. ...
Another alternative to harmful, chemically-dependent agriculture is cropping up in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and remarkably, it involves the use of homoeopathic concoctions to keep plants healthy.
While homoeopathy has demonstrated benefit when used on human beings, it now appears that it has the same effect on plant life as well. Over local 400 farmers have switched from soil-degrading chemicals to homoeopathic solutions and according to a government-appointed research group, their potato harvests have shown a longer shelf-life, in addition to an apparent increase in yield....
The new UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was depicted as the 'Great Plane Robber' in a series of Ryanair adverts which have been pulled out of circulation. Brown increased air passenger duty, apparently to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment, although Ryanair obviously were implying that it was instead motivated by profit. They claimed that the government would make more than £1bn from the increase and that they didn't plan to invest any of the revenue into environmental projects.
The Advertising Standards Authority received a total of 48 complaints, most relating to Ryanair's claim that, "aviation accounts for just 2% of CO2 emissions". These claims were found to be unreliable and without basis, so the adverts were pulled. The authority also disagreed with Ryanair's claim that none of the tax revenue would be used in environmental projects. The government said that some of the money would go towards, "environmental measures and in increasing public transport". ...
We're completely downward dog with aGaIN NYC's hip, one-of-a-kind yoga bags. Made from repurposed fabric and a contrasting vintage men's tie, each $45 bag also features a small zippered pocket perfect for stashing loose change and your Metro card, so you can stretch, flex, and meditate unburdened. Slip in a standard-size yoga mat and secure with the drawstring closure.
More styles below the fold. :: aGaiN NYC
See also: :: Eco Mats by Eco Yoga, :: The Harmony Natural Rubber Yoga Mat, :: Organic Cotton Yoga Rugs, and :: Cleaning Your Yoga Mat, Naturally
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Apartment therapy is running such a TreeHugger type survey that we thought that we would just steal it. They are writing from a "parlor-floor apartment in an old massive-walled brick building stays cool with the use of a ceiling fan"- staying cool in the City has its own issues and solutions. They note: "Lots of people use an air conditioner. Lots of others don't, out of environmental concerns, discomfort, or to keep the power bill down." They also point to a very useful guide from RealSimple: 23 ways to beat the heat.
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A team of researchers at Harvard University have created a life-size, robotic fly that they say has potential applications in spying as well as for detecting noxious chemicals. To build such a tiny robot, with a wingspan of only 3 cm and a weight of 60 milligrams, they developed a new fabrication process that consisted of using laser micromachining to slice thin sheets of carbon fiber and arranging them into functional parts.
They also incorporated electroactive polymers, which can change shape upon being exposed to voltage, into the parts to make them responsive to electrical signals. "Nature makes the world's best fliers," said Robert Wood, the project's leader and a professor at Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences....
We do so many posts about China; its problems shouldn't be surprising since we outsourced our pollution and greenhouse gas emissions along with our manufacturing jobs, but who is running the show? Business Week asks: 
In its latest issue, Popular Science champions genetic and geo-engineering as strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on the planet and save the environment in a series of articles collectively referred to as "Duct Tape Methods to Save the Earth." The proposed schemes range from a plan to use huge blankets to wrap thawing glaciers in the Alps to using genetically modified tree plantations to replace thinning rainforests.
We've often been skeptical of the feasibility and long-term viability of geo-engineering in the past and certainly aren't big fans of genetic engineering. Having said that, we thought several of these schemes worth mentioning, were it not only for their sheer creativity, since similar ideas may very well be implemented in the near future as a series of quick fixes to our deteriorating environment (though the jury is still out on their potential for sucess)....
Interior designer and fashion stylist Scott Newkirk loved the 1973 eco-classic Handmade Houses: A Guide to the Woodbutcher’s Art and decided to build a 300 square foot off-grid cabin in the woods. It took two years to build; being a New York designer, it's not quite handmade and he "had a hard time finding builders who got his idea for a simple, rough-hewn look."-silly builders, they try to make it look finished.
It's small, it's built from salvaged and reclaimed materials and it's pretty basic. Nice.
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Core77 points us to a great essay by designer Khoi Vinh about the relationship between planned obsolescence -- the idea that objects are designed with a specific lifetime in mind -- and "designed deterioration" -- the very TreeHugger idea that we should be designing objects that actually improve with age. Held up as examples are digital hardware (like the iPhone) vs. a cast-iron pan. 
Photo credit: Peter Prehn
It'd be easier for Judy Steele to grow cannabis in her garden in Warwickshire, England, than it'd be to plant Carruther's Purple Podded peas, Auntie Madge's tomato, or Mr. Stiff's bunching onion. In fact, it's illegal to buy seeds of this old variety. But Steele, who is growing a row of those peas anyway, is hardly a criminal or some kind of botanical terrorist—the self-described "foster mother for orphaned pea varieties" is one of 300 seed guardians for Garden Organic, formerly known as the Henry Doubleday Research Association, based at Ryton, near Coventry.
Garden Organic's extensive seed library contains 800 traditional vegetable varieties once grown in Britain but are now outlawed by European legislation. How did society reach the point that growing food became a criminal move? Or an act of subversion?...
It's getting close to Solar Decathlon time, when TreeHugger is filled with green architectural wonders from the twenty entries in this competition sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy to "design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home."
First up is the University of Illinois, which is "meant to be a display to people that being comfortable and conserving energy aren’t two different things, that we can build a house that requires only 10 percent of the energy a typical house today requires, build it with today’s technologies and show that it saves money.”...
With the promise of reduced costs and increased efficiency, the virtualization rage continues in the techno-sphere. The basic premise of virtualization is to make one server do the work of many; this increases utilization, and hence requires less servers. Fewer servers mean less power, which in turn means less CO2, thus saving the planet. Simple.
But now there's a counterpoint; "yes, you have fewer servers in a virtualized environment, but each one of those servers is more heavily utilized, and because they are doing more work their power consumption goes up. The net gain is zero." Can that be? When we interviewed Foedus, they claimed one could get up to a 20 to 1 reduction in hardware using virtualization; it's hard to believe that doesn't more than make up for the extra power. Quocirca did their own analysis and came to the same conclusion. On the other hand, when we interviewed John Engates of Rackspace, he agreed that the power to run the heavier-laden box beats the costs of buying it - the juice beats the iron.
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One of the forerunners of eco-fashion in the States, Indigenous Designs, has been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal this week, not for their environmental sense, but for their business sense. With over ten years of success behind them Indigenous Designs are continuing to grow and expand into new markets, proving that ethical fashion and commercial success are not mutually exclusive. This September their clothes will be stocked in Dillards department stores and according to co-founder Scott Leonard this year the company's revenue is expected to double to more than $4 million from $2 million last year. He goes on to say that the number of individual stores stocking Indigenous Designs clothing has jumped 75% in the past 18 months. Is this success due purely to the ethical nature of the brand?...
Renovation is the greenest way to build, but so often our older buildings are left to rot and collapse. Toronto's 1850 era Walnut Hall was designated as historic ten years ago, but was left empty and exposed until bricks started falling off it and the City demolished it. The owner quoted Captain Renaud from Casablanca: "We're shocked, we're quite disturbed by the whole thing." Chris Hume notes in The Star that "heritage preservation is a crucial aspect of metropolitan civilization" but in Toronto and most of North America, "nothing should be allowed to interfere with the rights of property owners, even when they are yahoos who would wreck a unique and valuable site to make a buck."
Catherine Nasmith of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario is disgusted.
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With great concern for the birds, TreeHugger has posted a series of articles on the problems of wind turbines and bird flyways. We sent a post to one of our favorite green groups - The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) - and were surprised to learn that Israeli ornithologists are involved in monitoring wind turbines and bird migration. One of their conclusions is that perhaps Israel should not operate wind farms at all.
Writes Michelle Levine from the SPNI:
Designer Chris Kirby wants us all to compost. Believing that "if we are to value food waste, then we should treat it with importance," he created the Compost Vase, an artful, dare we say, sexy (oh, we dare!) accoutrement for composting. Says Kirby, "Made from porcelain, I wanted the compost vase to be a treasured object dedicated to the reclaimation of food wastes. The compost vase introduces ritual into food waste collection. During meal preparation, it lays flat to receive trimmings from the cutting board. At mealtime, it sits on its side as a reinterpretation of the Victorian 'bone dish'. Upright, it is a vase for display." Once you get the basics of compost down, this could be an easy way to make it a bit more fun. The design was one of "10 highly commended entries" in designboom's "ceramics for breakfast" design contest; learn more about Chris at his website and check out more pics beneath the fold. ::Chris Kirby Design's Compost Vase via ::designboom...
Image: Photograph: Wuhan/AP
"Wuhan, Hebei province: A man collects dead fish in Donghu lake, where officials say an estimated 30,000kg of fish have been killed by a combination of pollution and hot weather".
::The Guardian
More after the jump......
For many of us, nothing says summer like a dinner from the grill. The taste of marinated flank steak, barbecued chicken and fresh veggies is so yummy when it comes off the Weber, not to mention the cleanup is a quick one so we can enjoy the warm nights. But have you thought about the impact on our environment that may come from grilling? Last year, Lloyd gave you some tips on how to grill greener and we’re bringing you even more with the “P’s and Q’s of BBQ” from the Sierra Club. While your backyard barbie alone isn’t going ruin the environment, the Sierra Club notes that 60 million of us fire up the grill over holidays like Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. They also say that “Three out of four U.S. households own at least one barbecue grill. Among grill owners, 48 percent fire up with charcoal, 61 percent with propane, and 7 percent with electricity.” We understand the love for a charcoal grill so if that’s the way you choose to go, check out companies like Wicked Good Charcoal that produce charcoal that is 100% natural. ::”P’s and Q’s of BBQ” from the Sierra Club Also see: “Get Your Grill On” from the Sierra Club...
TreeHugger has teamed up with Instructables and Popular Science to bring you the Go Green! contest. We want to know how you're reducing your environmental footprint, and hopefully saving some cash in the process. Are you modding your gear, simplifying your life, or building something awesome? Tell us what you're doing to go green, and teach us how -- share what you know! Whether you're making your own microwavable mitten warmers, building a 1000 Watt wind turbine, stitching up a cloth grocery bag or hammering together some recycled modular shelving, this is all about DIY ingenuity and making the most of what we've got. So, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle, and rebuild, then show us what you are doing to make your life a little bit greener! Need more ideas? Hit up our guides for How to Go Green or check out PopSci's green coverage.
The deadline for entries is August 19, 2007 (get all the details here) and the judging panel will include head TreeHuggers Graham Hill and Ken Rother and Voltaic Systems CEO Shayne McQuade (who is also a member of TreeHugger's Board of Advisors). The grand prize winner will receive a Breezer Liberty hybrid commuter bicycle with pedal-powered lights, a brief write-up in a future issue of Popular Science, and a 1-year subscription to Popular Science magazine. Good luck! All the details are at ::Instructables...
The UK shed scene is so creative; so many designers are offering holiday homes, caravans and sheds that one could devote an entire website to them. (hey, someone did!) Philip Simpson "wanted something that would enhance the user's appreciation of the outdoors, from both inside and out." and sketched up the Orb (on backs of envelopes and restaurant napkins, of course.) Architect David Miller and interior design consultancy Real Studios polished it off.
"Its unique oval shape and generous glazing provide a luxurious sense of space and light, as well as intrinsic strength, flexibility, sustainability and superb insulation efficiency."
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The problem of toxic electronic waste is no longer a dirty little secret. Thanks to relentless efforts of consumer advocacy groups, photojournalists -- and, we like to think, little old blogs like us -- the computer industry is starting to take notice. Obvious first steps like the elimination of lead, and reduction of fire retardants, and institution of recycling programs are being rolled out all across the industry. But the holy grail of recycling, product take-back, still hadn't been tackled, until now. Newcomer Zonbu recently introduced its Zonbox home networking PC, and one of the coolest features is one you don't get to use until it breaks....
While the tragedy of the exploding New York City steam pipe is still on the news, this would be a good time to point out an example of the environmental benefits of below-ground urban steam use. Back in May it was reported that in the City of Duluth Minnesota, [USA] "crews were pumping insulation into the conduits that cradle Duluth's network of steam pipes." The Duluth cooperative steam plant delivers steam via underground pipes to more than 225 buildings in Canal Park and downtown Duluth, and demand for its steam heat is growing. For the future:- "Following a $1 million investment in equipment, the facility probably could generate about 1 megawatt of power with the steam it currently produces. "
"It's part of a $4.2 million initiative to improve the efficiency of the city's steam works. The project will involve updating coal pulverizers, installing new boiler controls, wrapping valves and expansion joints with insulation blankets, repairing the team plant's smokestack and replacing its coal conveyance system. When all the work is done, analysts predict the city steam plant will be able to cut its diet of coal by 17 percent, said Jerry Pelofske, manager of the Duluth Steam Cooperative Association. Pelofske believes there's plenty of life left in the plant, which will mark its 75th birthday this year."...
UK solar company Solarcentury is one of those companies that just keeps on cropping up on TreeHugger. Most recently we’ve covered their work to get part-funded solar panels to schools, and their collaboration with Barclaycard to even provide them free for a select few learning establishments. We’ve also written about their expansion to Spain, and once upon a time we even interviewed Jeremy Leggett, the company’s CEO, who also happens to be a leading peak oil expert and former oil man. Now we see from Solarcentury’s website that, for a limited period of time, they are offering lucky customers the chance to get 50% more capacity on solar installations free of charge:
Providing healthy lunches for school children has been an on-going debate and dilemma in Britain. Jamie Oliver waded into the fray and managed to get the government to up its standards, whilst being pilloried by some mothers who sold chocolate bars to the deprived students through the fences. Students in one third of all secondary schools have rejected healthy school lunches, preferring french fries. But 80% of all elementary schools report that the adoption of school lunches has improved. Of course the little ones don't have any choice, but with food being provided by the likes of the Duke of Cambridge pub, they can consider themselves lucky.
The pub, the first organic gastro-pub in the UK, has teamed up with one local school to create a version of its menu to suit pupils and has also provided the links to the organic food suppliers. The chefs from the pub have taught school cooks how to make stock and mustard vinaigrette as well as fish filleting. Parents are invited to tastings and trial runs are being made with the children before the new school year. As the principal said "We're not trying to be posh, this is not just for middle-class people. Good food is good food". And the menu: butternut squash and pea risotto with pan-friend lentil burgers, rhubarb crumble with cream, or salmon pie with mashed potato topping and steamed savoy cabbage. Where do we sign up? :: The Guardian...
A need for simple, modern, affordable furniture was the ultimate goal for Cain Collection (chair pictured here) from the designers at STAACH; but they've gone far beyond that, including some useful extra features like being stackable and the ability to be upholstered.
Chair is Simple and Modern, but Sustainable Too!
Even better, the line is the first production piece to truly encompass their concept of "sustainability" in manufacturing and design; the wood comes from sustainable sources in New York and Pennsylvania, and all the fabrication is done in house with only two tools. The chairs are finished with non-toxic wood glue and water-based, low- to no-VOC lacquers, and can be flat packed (requiring a bit of assembly) for shipping. This modern, stackable, sustainable chair by STAACH is available at Branch....
Well, that may be a somewhat humorous take on a huge issue, but the good news is that a majority of American voters in six congressional districts now see global warming as the biggest environmental problem according to a new poll by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Seventy-three percent of the voters polled favored immediate measures to reduce carbon emissions with just 19% favoring the idea of waiting for new technologies to solve the crisis. And sixty-three percent of voters polled support the idea of placing mandatory limits on emissions from power plants through a cap-and-trade system that allows trading in carbon pollution permits to help make that happen. By a measure of 50 to 25 percent, voters polled said that pollution permits should be sold to U.S. companies with the revenues dedicated to funding new energy saving technologies, and protecting consumers and displaced workers. Clearly, the greater percentage of those polled do not want to see the permits given to U.S. companies for free…...
See if these folks were flaunting sexy butts, then you wouldn't want to get 'em off the beach. Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), Marine Conservation Society and British Naturist campaigners took to a Brighton beach and took a crack at getting out the word. You say but you've told us this before. But it's too difficult to get rid of my cigarette butt when I'm at the beach. Butt, butt, butt...
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Looking down from the formal heights of The Economist offices, a green carpet invites you to come out and take a break. A lush grass installation of 40 square meters fills this little bit of London with a relaxed atmosphere and invites you to gather on its comfortable surface. 'Convocation’ calls individuals to come together without restriction. The installation, which opened yesterday, is commissioned by the Economist Group and designed by Sparks, an interdisciplinary collaboration of artists and designers based in London.
It sounds like three Welsh fishing buddies have developed the next best thing to a perpetual motion machine. The concept is thus: Fitted to car instead of an exhaust their Greenbox device traps carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The box needs to be replaced about every full tank of fuel. “Through a chemical reaction, the captured gases from the box would be fed to algae, which would then be crushed to produce a bio-oil. This extract can be converted to produce a biodiesel almost identical to normal diesel.” Voila! - driving your car produces fuel. After a couple of years of testing and umpteen hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in research it would appear that there is more to this than the usual magic solution that crosses our desks. Of course the devil is usually in the detail. ...
Hi,
I'm considering purchasing a 2007 Mercedes Bluetec e320 Diesel. My question is "Is this car really green?"
My 04 Prius has 60k miles and is worse for wear and I'm too tall to comfortably drive it any longer. I can't help but think the Bluetec is a step in reverse for me personally and that I really want to move forward with a Plug-in Hybrid or full EV, but no options exist. I'm tired of driving a constrictive tiny car built for the 95% of Japanese people, I'm not willing to accept a hybrid SUV, the notion is ridiculous. I want 50mpg+! and I want to stop BURNING fuel. What's my next car?
Thanks!
Lex
Hey Lex,
Is the Mercedes Bluetec e320 Diesel green? Well, one thing's for certain...it doesn't feel as green as a Prius. Unfortunately, it's hard to get both the green feeling and the headroom. Green cars aren't small because they're built for Japanese people, they're small because to be efficient, cars need to be light, and present a low profile to the 70 mph winds that constantly buffet highway cars. ...
Ed. note: This is the second post (read the first one about biodiesel) in the Green Basics series of posts that TreeHugger is writing to provide basic information about important ideas, materials and technologies for new greenies (or those who just need a quick refresher). Read on, about compost and stay tuned!
What is compost?
Compost is the "aerobically derived remnants of organic materials" (thank you Wikipedia), meaning its what you get when you combine the leftovers of plant and animal-based stuff, add a little air, water and nitrogen. The decomposition is performed primarily by aerobes (organisms with oxygen-based metabolism), although larger creatures such as ants, nematodes, and worms (this process is also known as vermiculture) can also contribute. This decomposition occurs naturally except for in extreme anaerobic conditions, like in landfills, very arid deserts or cold weather such as boreal winters or polar regions, which prevent the microbes and other decomposers from thriving. Decomposition happens even in the absence of some of these ingredients, but not as quickly or as pleasantly. Compost is used most often at the consumer level in gardening and agriculture as a fertilizer-type soil additive, and can also often replace commercial fertilizers....
If climate change is primarily the result of burning fossil fuels isn't offsetting with trees simply a distraction? Shouldn't we focus on renewable energy projects that can replace the use of fossil fuel?
It's true that burning fossil fuels accounts for the largest proportion of carbon emissions. Nevertheless, the loss of trees plays a significant role. The conversion of forests has contributed around 30% of the total carbon build up in the atmosphere since 1850. And it continues – deforestation still accounts for over 20% of emissions a year. ...